Add Two Big Words To Your Vocabulary Today

Don't worry, this isn't going to be a regular feature. There's just two words that you absolutely positively need to know right now .  Both deal with the stuff people love to post on Facebook and bring into your life.  Get some ten dollar words after the jump.

The two words you need to know, especially post election are hyperbole and histrionics.  I'm going to break 'em down for you in just a second.  First, don't be afraid of big words.  I don't write well, and am quite often at a loss for how to express myself both in person and writing.  It may seem like I'm self assured, but I'm not.  I just keep rewriting stuff until the red lines go away.  So here we go.

1. Hyperbole.  First off, I'll admit it, I knew what this word meant before I know how to say it correctly. It's not 'high-per-bowl', it's "high-pur-buh-lee" (just say it fast).  What it means, according to Dictionary.com is "an obvious exaggeration".  Here's an example of some recent "hyperbole':  "If Obama wins I'm moving to Canada".  They were never moving to anywhere, they were just been whiny poor losers.

Next is "histrionics".  I love this word.  The part of the definition I'm referring to, once again from Dictionary.com is "an exaggerated expression of emotion".  If a friend of your says, all teary eyed and fake upset, "Oh, I might as well kill myself, this country is so going to hell".  Yeah, today they're 'going to kill themselves' and tomorrow they'll put a picture of cats up.  Whatever.

Now I've taken these words and applied them to recent political evens ONLY because that's the context they've recently been applicable to.  I'm sure you have more than one friend on your Facebook who is prone to "histrionics & hyperbole".  It's what people these days call DRAMA.